Chaney launches brick fundraising campaign

Chaney High's new gym is expected to be ready for the 2006-07 school year.
By JOHN KOVACH
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
YOUNGSTOWN -- The Chaney High athletic department has launched a brick fundraising campaign to raise money to help enhance the school's new gymnasium and to develop a memorial concourse in front of the facility.
Athletic director Jim Mullally, who is heading the campaign, said the bricks will be placed in front and around the new gymnasium that is expected to be ready for the 2006-07 school year
"The bricks will be put in front of the new gym on Overlook [Avenue] that will be right near the main entrance," said Mullally. "It will be like a little concourse or patio area. The design has still not been settled. We want to see how much room we have. But we have plenty of room for a lot of bricks."
Mullally said there will be six different types of bricks available for purchase: a standard 4-by-8 ($50), 10-by-10 ($125), 12-by-12 ($250), a special 12-by-12 designed as a border ($500), 12-by-12 granite ($1,000) and 16-by-16 granite ($5,000).
He said Tabor Landscaping will install the bricks and Crown Monument will do the engraving.
Use of the money
The money raised will be used to purchase accessories for the new gym, like a state of the art scoreboard and school displays, and for the beautification of the exterior grounds surrounding the new facility. Funds also will be used to purchase athletic equipment and expand a new weight room.
"The state gives us only so much to build a standard gym and we will have to add to it," said Mullally, who envisions a beautiful bricked patio area in front and surrounding the new gym, landscaped with flowers and shrubs with benches and flagpoles and perhaps even a victory bell.
"We are looking for those special donors," said Mullally, noting that the project will be on-going.
"I would hope that every graduate of Chaney [can receive] a graduation present that would be to purchase them a brick," said Mullally. "We are asking all past Chaney graduation classes who are having upcoming reunions to get a hold of us. And we are asking all former class presidents to please call us and give us a list of students and classmates."
The committee hopes to build a complete data base of all graduates to provide a link from the school to its alumni.
Miller, Royers bolster project
Fran Miller, Chaney's volunteer bowling coach, is serving as chairperson of the campaign, while Fred and Lynn Royer are developing the plan to reach alumni. Bob Gessler also has been a big help to the committee.
"We can do it if they [our alumni] help us," said Mullally. "Once we get it going, then it can snowball."
The project also has received strong support from the Chaney coaching staff.
Mullally said that the old Chaney gym, which was built the same time as the school about 50 years ago, will be renovated.
The final basketball game in the old gym will be Friday when the boys play host to East Palestine.
"The old gym will [become] a physical education room along with the new gym, and it still will be used for freshman basketball," said Mullally. "The new gym will seat about 1,100. The old gym seated 300."
The next committee meeting is March 1 at the new Chaney cafeteria.
kovach@vindy.com
For more information, call Jim Mullally at (330) 744-8508.